MD 210s USMLEs but M.Sc. vs. 230s USMLEs but no M.Sc.

[Jloyay]

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I was wondering which candidate would generally be favoured by residency programs assuming all other factors are similar: one with poor USMLEs but a graduate M.Sc. or one who has average-decent USMLEs but no graduate degree and only undergrad?

 

[libertyyne]

Graduate degree's unless PHD are usually the mark of poor undergrad performance. This is another reason why when you look at charting outcomes it almost looks like graduate degrees have a negative impact on matching.Usually no one will care about an MSC or MPH or MBA, get those degrees if you want to, not to improve your matching chances.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

A master's degree is not a particularly remarkable or marketable achievement. Nor really is a 20 point USMLE difference, but I feel like the difference might come in to play for programs who filter based on USMLE score and would not even look at your application to begin with at 210.

To be clear, I vote for an average USMLE over a master's degree.

 

[Dr. Scribe]

Step 1 points > Master's

This is coming from someone who is about to start medical school and has an MS degree.

 

[Dr. Scribe]

Graduate degree's unless PHD are usually the mark of poor undergrad performance. This is another reason why when you look at charting outcomes it almost looks like graduate degrees have a negative impact on matching.Usually no one will care about an MSC or MPH or MBA, get those degrees if you want to, not to improve your matching chances.

Harsh, but true.

Telling friends and family you are getting a Master's degree MIGHT impress THEM, but it certainly won't help you match.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

If you actually do something with the degree, like write first author manuscripts or other publications, then the degree would be useful but moreso because of the associated productivity rather than the degree itself. Just having a few extra letters behind your name isn't helpful unless it's PhD. If the degree interests you, then do it for your own purposes, but not with the intent that it will help boost your residency application.

 

[atomi]

I was wondering which candidate would generally be favoured by residency programs assuming all other factors are similar: one with poor USMLEs but a graduate M.Sc. or one who has average-decent USMLEs but no graduate degree and only undergrad?

LOL

“What have you done for me recently?”

Nobody cares about an old degree except your first employer after you finish it unless it’s a bare minimum prerequisite.

Residency only cares about your med school performance, which is measured by grades, LORs, and usmle scores.

 

[Oso]

Absolutely get a 230 instead of a 210.

Compared to that, an MS ain't worth jack ****

 

[mistafab]

MSC is not useful to anyone except hopefully the person who earned it.

 

[libertyyne]

A master's degree is not a particularly remarkable or marketable achievement. Nor really is a 20 point USMLE difference, but I feel like the difference might come in to play for programs who filter based on USMLE score and would not even look at your application to begin with at 210.

To be clear, I vote for an average USMLE over a master's degree.

I feel like 20 points is significant. 20 points is roughly a full SD. 230-210 is a leap from going median of matched to a full sd below matched.
I mean obviously all of this matters in context, but it seems like a handicap when you are going from middle to bottom 16.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

20 points is roughly a full SD.

Yeah, a 210 is ~1SD below average and a 230 is right around the mean. 1SD means relatively little to me on an exam like this really designed to assess for competency for licensure. Is it heavily used as a tool for fine discrimination? Yeah, for sure. Do I personally think it should be that way? No. But anyhow, my point is that a variation of 20 points can be caused by a good number of factors. A 20 point higher USMLE 1 score is great and all but a 210 vs. 230 or 220 vs. 240 or 230 vs. 250 doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot when it comes to the kind of doctor you're going to be. I think there was one study that came out saying that a score below 200 is a weak predictor of future board exam results but it's a similar type deal to using MCAT performance as a predictor of med school performance (contradictory and unclear evidence).

Anyhow, we agree that residency programs as a whole would much prefer a higher USMLE versus a master's degree. I should have clarified that a 20 point USMLE difference is definitely marketable to programs but I personally hate to see it be such a make-or-break factor.

 

[W19]

I would take 20 points higher even over a PhD...

3 IM program coordinators (not PD) told me they screen applicants based on step1... Amazing that PD are outsourcing something so important like that to their secretary...

 

[Snoopy2006]

Broadly speaking, an MSc will not help you in the slightest when it comes to applying for residency. If you've been told otherwise you're getting bad advice. Do it only because you want to to.